Apparatus for the orientation of drill cores



Fell 14, 1933- A. G. H. STRAATMAN APPARATUS FOR THE ORIENTATION OF DRILL CORES Filed Jan. 19, 1928 2 sheds-sheet, 1

.mi r m AM wd. f1 Aha. u! r Q., VM W h. le, W 7. w

Feb. 14, 1933. A. G. H. STRAATMAN 1,897,871

APPARATUS FOR THE ORIENTATION OF DRILL CORES Filed Jan. 19, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Flsmmm3. HGM.

Y; /fwl' lnamma naa ,fra

|04 los QHyS.

Yof

Patented" Feb. 14, 1 933 ALPHON S GERARD HUBERT STRATMN,

'ro NAAMLoozE VENNOOTSCHAP DE BA THE HAGPE, NETIER?RLANDS F THE HAGUE, NETHERLANDS, ASSIGNOR TAAFSCHE PETROLEUM MAATSCHAPPIJ', 0F

APPARATUS FOR THE ORIENTATION OF DRILL CORES Application led January 19, 1928, Serial No. 247,992, and in the Netherlands February 14, 1927.

This invention relates to apparatus for the orientation of drill cores. l

When drilling deepholes it is 'of importance to know the position y of the strata in respect to the meridian, which would be done in a simple manner ifit were possible to bring a drill-core up to the surface Without rotating it about its axis. The string o'f drilling and fishing tools itself being subjected, however, to torsion as soon as it has to exert any appreciable force at the bottom and the string being generally of great length, this torsion makes the orientation of the core brought up most uncertain.

It has been suggested that marks be made on the top of the core before it is drilled out, showing a certain position in respect to the meridian, but there is a considerable element of uncertainty in such marking, because the rock has an irregular surface which is often covered with detritus and, therefore, not in contact with the marking device, or else it is broken While the core is being drilled out and so damaged that the marks are obliterated.- Finally, even though rotatory forces at the bottom of the drilling strirg be avoided as much as possible, if the hole deviates from the perpendicular and is of considerable depth torsion may neverthey less occur, destroying all hopes of the observation being accurate.

The present invention aims at orientation the drill-core with a great degree of certainty.

To this end the core is provided with indicating means that is not dependent upon the surface of the rock and which may consist of a distinctive mark made in a hole drilled in the core itself, for instance by making an incision, or it mayconsist of a drilling bit or an expansible plugcylinder or such like object driven into a hole in the core and remaining there while the core is being drilled out and brought up to the surface.

'There are various ways of orientating this distinctive indicating means. For instance in this invention the core can be orientated by means of a system of couplings and rods with locking means .which are free from tor- Aparatus which, by

sion and connected with theapparatus that is'to make or has made an incision in the core. The indicating means core c an also carry another object upon which an indication can be made (or which itself may make 'an indication), so that by means of a specially constructed string of drilling rods protected against torsion and run into the hole or Well the orientation of the indicating means can be transmitted to the surface before the core is drilled out and brought up to the well mouth.

he invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, by way. of example, in which .igure l gives an outside view of three main parts which act together and are fixed to the bottom end of a special string of rods for orientation purposes.

Part A shows an indicating means for orienta-tion which is driven into a hole in the longitudinal section is given in Figtion in Figure 4. It will drill or bit atY illustration) Part B, the second part, is ,a holder for the indicating means and is shown in longitudinal section in Figure 5, Figures 6 9 incl. are cross sections of this holder.

Part C is a measuring and recording apmeans of photographic apparatus and a mercury level, indicates the direction in which the Well deviates from the perpendicular in respect to theorientation marker (part A), which as long as it is coupled to parts B and C has a known posit" on in respect to these two bodies. Part C is screwedpnto a special string .of rods for orientation into a hole out later,

l have to carry a the bottom (not shown in the in thecore which is to be drilled the deviation from the perpendicv ular in respect to this orientation marker is registered photographically. Part is then disconnected from part B, the la` er bein pulled up with part C and replaced by the core-drill. This orientation can thus be made before the core is drilled. From the recordings then available a conclusion can be drawn as to the exact position of the strata.

purposes. After part A; is drivenV driven into the Figure 10 is a ring which can be placed in supporting tube 39 and acting as a drift; an the bottom of the holder shown in Figure 5, outer slide 42 with grooves 43, by means of and Figures 11 and 12 illustrate an indicating which it is passed over keys 40; a strong means similar to that in Figure 2 but providspring 44; an adjustino screw 45, used when ed with an indicating disc which is tempoplacing the spring in t e holder, and moving 70 rarily covered by the ring in Figure and in a' slot 46; an extension piece 47 of the outer upon which impressions are made later by slide, with key-ways 48 on the inside for keys a centre-punch by means of the apparatus 49,which are fastened on to the inner slide 32; shown in Figures 13 and 14 in longitudinal finally the centring ring 50. 10 sections. The holder B and the orientation indi- 75 Figures 15-18 are couplings of orientaeating means A therefore have a continuous tion rods or tubes which have to carry down channel through their centre for the passage into the hole the centre-punch apparatus of 0f flush-water t0 the drill. While drilling Figures 13 and 14 or some other device for (with the drill attached to the bottom of A) 15 OIeIltfitOlL The DOStiOIl 0f this String 0f care is taken that the spring 44 is not forced 80 I'OdS 01 tubes, Wl'iiCll is calibrated OI' tOISiOn, in; the rotatory force is transmitted by the has to be orientated at the surface. keys 40 and 49, which also prevent the orientay Figures 19 to 24 give respectively a lontioii of the key-way 27 of body A from being gitudinal section, four CIOSS SeCtlOne and a changed in respect to the other parts connect- 20 detail of a tool which makes an incision in a ed with the holder B, such as the apparatus C. 85 hOle lll the COIe. This tOOl Call be XG. `t0 AS S0011 as a, hole has been drilled deep the instrument C in such a manner that ltS enough in the core that is to be drilled out position is known, or direCtly t0 the SPeClal later, the drill-pole is driven downward with string of rods. great force. At the same time the cylindri- Referring now to Figures 1 to 4 these show cal drift 41 forces down the inner tube 28 of 90 the construction of an indicating means, in tool A, breaking the pin which had been Which: 26 is a thick tube with conical head passed through the holes Q9 and 37; the keyin which a ke -Way 27 iS out; Inside tllS tube plates 3() are pressed outwards, and the metal is a loosely tting inner pipe 28 with dlrings 31 are jammed tightly against the rock.

V30 metrically opposite holes 29 in the upper end AS the Slide 32 Continues to bear upon the 95 protruding beyond the conical head 0f the cone and the eentring ring 50 upon the shoulouter tube. Nine segmental key-Plates 30 der 51 of part A, the spring 44is compressed.

lie in milled grooves out into both the Outer The drift 41 enters the conical ring 36, into tube 26 and the inner tube 28- TheSe keywhich it is jammed down tight. When the plates are held in by rings 31 pressed into drill-pole is drawn up then'the centring ring 100 wide annular grooves 0n the outs: de of the 50 at first continues to bear on the shoulder 51 outer tube 26. A drill or bit can be screwed Owing t0 the force of the spring 44, but later into the bottom end of tube 25, and flush the drift 41 fixed in the conical ring 36 takes liquid can be passed through the inner tube that ring with it; this ring holds the drift still 28. After the drill has made a hole in the tighter because the screw 35 is 'also conical on 10 rock which is to be drilled out later asa the inner side, so that the slide 32 is forcibly core, the inner tube 28 is forced downward, carried upwards and freed from the conical thereby causing the key-plates to bend and head of the orientating device A.v Finally expand the rings 31 outward until they are also the pressure of ring 50 may be removed jammed up tight against the wall of the hole, from A, which latter body remains fast in 11 So tbattlle WhOle device A (Figure 2) rethe future drill-core. The drill-pole can then mains stuck inthe Core. The key-Way 27 be drawn up and fitted with a core-drill. then serves for orientation. Before the connection is broken between A When the hole is being drilled in the core, and B, the orientation and measuringinstruthe indicating means A is joined to the holder ment C is set in working for recording the in- 115 B, for which purpose thelatter has a coniclination of the bore-hole.

cal hole in the slide 32 and a key-plate 33. Since the parts A, B and C alixed to the which is fixed with two pins 34. A conical end of the drill-rods have a certain fixed poring 36 is held in the slide by a screw 35 and 'sition in respect to each other and no meas- 35 has holes 37 corresponding to those 29 in the urable error can-arise through torsion, thel 12 tube 28 of tool A.` After the head of tool A orientation of the core in respect to the direchas been inserted in the slide 32 of the holder tion in which the well deviates from the per- B, a brass pin is passedthrough holes 29 and pendicular can be made absolutely accurately. 37; further on it Will be Shown hoW this pin As already stated, the orinetation marker 00 is broken in order to disconnect A and shown in Fig. 2 gives the desired indication 12 The other parts of the holder B comprises: [of position by means ofthe key-way 27. Use a hollow threaded coupling 38;-in that couis made of special orientation rods run into pling a threaded supporting tube 39; two the hole. it then being known that the orienguide-keys 40 screwed onto the coupling; a tation of the bottom end of those rods corresmall tube 41 screwed into the bottom of the sponds to that of the visible end at the sur- 130 punch too can be run down to make a certain ries orientation mark or inthe core below.

For this purpose a tool similar to that in marks on the object fixed Fig. 2 is provided with a collar (82) (Figs. W

11 and 12) in which is cast a soft metal ring 83; a screw (84) ensures its being held in the right position. The ring at the bottom of the holder B is then replaced by a centering ring 85 (Fig. 10) which covers the leaden ring (83) in the collar of A and, when the connection between A and B is broken, transmits the pressure of the spring 44. The head of 4this tool' (Fig. 11) and the expansible rings 31 correspond to those in Fig. 2. As will be understood, the use and purpose of the ring 85 are similar to those of the ring 50. The difference between the two rings 50 and 85 lies in the latter being provided with a recess at its lower end which is clearly shown in Fig. 10 and in which the upper end of the collar 82 fits, the soft metal ring 83 being thus better protected. Further the ring 85 in substantially the same Way as the ring 50, centers the device shown in Fig. 11 in the lower end or" the part B and presses the said device down by acting on the collar 82 under the iniuence of the spring 44 during the last stage of disconnecting A andB.

After the tool shown in Fig. 11 has been forced into the core, a round hole and a square centering hole are punched in the soft metal ring 83 by means of the tool shown in Figs. 13 and 14.

The coupling 86 (which will be described further in connection with Figs. 15-18) cara tube (87) provided at the bottom with a centering cone (88). A guide (89) is screwed on the inside of this tube. The tube 87 also carries inside it a slide (90) upon which a spring (91) rests. This spring has a great tension owing to the slide 90 being drawn up by the draw-rod 92 before the apparatus is coupled to the rods shown in Figs.

15-18, whereupon pawl 93 is placed with its end 95 on guide 89. The draw-rod has to be unscrewed from slide 90 and put aside before the percussion tool is coupled to the rods of Figs. 15-18. When the draw-rod 92 is released, slide 90 engages in the (tooth 94 of the pawl 93. This pawl turns on a pin (96) in a slot (97) cut in a central rod (98), and is accessible from the outside by means of the slots 99 and 100 cut in the tube 87 and slide 90 respectively. The slide 90 carries a center-punch (101) with a round coneshapedv point and another center-punch (102) with a square-faced conical point. These punches are diametrically opposite one another and their position is invariable in respect to the groove 103 at the top of coupling 86, which serves for the orientation ofthe apparatus with the measuring and percussion rod run into the well.

In the position bottom end (95 against the gui shown inthe drawings the of the pawl 93 is resting e 89, the pawl in turn supporting the slide 90 by means of its notchl 94, thereby compressing the spring 91. hen the apparatus is lowered into the hole until the central slide-rod 98 comes to rest upon the head of the orientation tool of Fig. 11, then this rod, carrying the pawl pin 96, takes up a higher position in the tube 87 and the end of the pawl (95) is released from the guide block 89. The notch in the pawl (94) is then no longer able to hold up the slide 90 because the position of that notch in respect to the axis 96 deprives the pawl of its stability. Thus, owing to the pressure of the spring, 97 and the center-punches are knocked downward, making their marks in ring 83 of the apparatus in Fig. 12.

After the apparatus has been drawn u again it can be disconnected from the dril rods. The draw-rod 92 isscrewed into the slide 90, the latter drawn up and the pawl 93 again set in position as indicated in the drawings, after which the apparatus is ready for use again.

The complete couplings shown in Figs. 15-18 make it possible to orientate above ground an apparatus like that in Figs. 13 and 14 while it is in the well.

A coupling piece (104) is screwed permanently into tube 105. Wrench faces (106) serve also to check the proper coupling of two measuring rods (tubes) mutually. Part 104 has a rather coarse thread (107), say 10 threads per inch. The other coupling piece 108) is permanently screwed into measuring rod (or tube) 109 and. is lon er than 104. Part 108 has a ner thread 110), say 12 threads per inch. The two parts 104vand 108 are connected together by a collar (111) with corresponding threads; thus this collar works as a dii'erential screw drawing the twocouplings together when turned. The front face of each coupling has a cylindrical groove (103)compare Figs. 13 and 14in which a small cylindrical rod is placed which not only takes up to the pressure exerted by the collar but alsoI provides particularly -for the measuring tubes 105 and,109 being coupled together in such a way as to prevent any measurable error arising from a possible rotation of one tube in respect to the other. In this manner, therefore, an orientating coupiing is obtained. When the coupling collars are unscrewed the two couplings are parted and the collar finally drops over the long neck of coupling 108, enablingthe small rod (11.2) to be removed. Of course it is evident that every measuring tube has a coupling like 104 at one end and another like 108 at the other end, the latter coupling corresponding to that shown at 86 in Figs. 13 and 14.

The marking tool shQvn in Figs. 19-23 the pawl is forced into the slot- (Fig. 24 shows the toothed part of such an apparatus made ina different way) is similar to the tools of Figs. 2 and 11 in that from its top protrudes the end of a tube with holes (29) and a conical head with key-way (27), which head forms one whole with the tube 113 serving as casing for the mechanism. This apparatus can 'be suspended at the bottom of the holder B by means of the collar 114, nut 115 a d the screwcap 116, which latter fits into t e bottom of holder B. Into the bottom end of tube 113 a drill can be screwed. Inside tube 113 is a movable forklike slide (117) with its top end at 118 cylindrical, in which the holes 29 already mentioned are made. This fork-like slide ends just below the cross section XXII in Fig. 19. A spring (120) is affixed to the forked slide by a screw (119). In the fork there are longitudinal grooves (121) and a diametrical hole (122) for the iush liquid, which passes down via another fork-shaped piece 123 (feed-piece) likewise provided vwith longitudinal grooves (124) and a T-shaped hole (125) conducting the ush liquid to the drill. The feed-piece (123) rests upon the drillstem (not shown) and contains the pin 126 (breakable) which carries the saw-like instrument or incisor 127. In the back of this saw blade a notch (128) is made to engage the spring 120, which at first exerts pressure upon the saw. The saw edge is contained in theslot 129 of the tube113 and has a notch at each extremity (130 and 131) to allow the toothed part to be forced out of the slot a certain distance only (the position indicated by the dotted lines).

When the cylindrical end 118 is knocked downward, in the manner described in connection with the corresponding tube 28 in part A, while the tube 113 is in the hole drilled in the core, then the slide 117 is also driven down, causing the spring 120 to push downu the saw-blade, thereby breaking the pin 126. Finally the saw blade knocks against the bottom of the fork of the feed piece 123, while also the legs of the slide 117 knock against (the forked end of the feed piece 123. At the same moment the saw blade has reached such a position that the notch 130 allows the spring 120 to force the toothed edge out of the slot 129. As soon as the saw is ready to make an incision in the core, its position is registered in the instrument C for orientation later. On the tube 113 being drawn up by the holder B, the teeth of the saw cut a groove'in the core (in the wall of the hole drilled in the latter) which groove is not obliterated and is easily orientated. When the holder B is drawn up, the slide 32 disengages from the key-way 27 in the manner already described, Vconsequently the saw edge can follow its course without being affected by rotary forces, whilst, moreover, its saw-like shape does not allow of its changing its direction once it has ing a marking been forced outwards from the slot in the tube. This position of the saw in respect to the instrument C can be. determined by means of the key-plate 33 in the holder B.

Fig. 24 is another type of saw (132) which has a hook-shaped notch (133) to engage the pin 134, which latter need not be broken but remains xed in the feed-piece 123. As soon as this type of saw is forced down far enough, it disengages from the pin 134 and is forced outwards by the action of the spring 120.

A closer study of these methods of working, given here as examples, will show in the first place that several details can be altered. For instance the indicating means le in the core for orientation purposes may be difierent both as regards shape and construction (Figs. 2, 11) and the nature of the mark made in the core may also be different (incision made by the apparatus of Fig. 19 or any other similar aparatus) Instead of us- 12 together with 'a centering apparatus (Figs. 13 and 14), the disc itself could have centering pins fitted into it with their points upward, upon which a leaden disc could be lowered at the end of rods as in Figs. 15 and 16. Thus 'it will always be possible to getreliable data for orientation without being dependent upon the surface featuresA of the core', any

or any changes in that sur` deposit thereon, face during the drilling of the core.

The manner in which an orientation body is fixed into the core may be varied, several constructions being possible according to the nature of the rock. Again instead of using a percussion rod to operate the outward-expanding parts, be used. Also be replaced by other pieces, metal blocks.

Instead of the saw in Fig. 19, a sharp-edged roller might be substituted, or a number o such instruments making several marks in the rock may be used, provided their position is known at the time that the marks are made.

What I claim is 1. Apparatus for the orientation of drill cores comprising a system of couplings and rods with locking means which are free from torsion, and a saw-shaped cutting tool xedly connected to the lower end of the rods and having its cutting edge substantiallyparallel with the longitudinal axis of the rods, for making an incision forming a mark inthe wall of a hole concentric with the desired core, when the rods are moved in axial direction.

2. Apparatus for the orientation of drill cores comprising a system of couplings and rods with locking means, which are fr ee from torsion, a hollow drill-holder connected to the lower end of the rods, a connection for a drill at the lower end of the drill'holder, a

the rings (31) in Fig. 2 may e. g. claws or soft disc as shown in Figs. 11 and a draw-rod or wire may also A spring, a cutting-tool within the drill holder and adapted to emerge through an opening in the side wall of the said holder'under the action of said spring, and va brakable element for maintaining the cutting-tool in its retracted position Within the said holder.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

ALPHONS GERARD HUBERT STRAATMAN. 

